Recent General Posts

Conquering a Male-Dominated Society: Woman in the Restoration Business

As a woman, have you ever come across someone who questioned you about the type of work you do, especially when it is in an industry that is dominated by men? The world is changing and today, you will find women in all work areas, whether we are talking about desk jobs or hard labor.

Bring Your Story to Life

Violand Management Associates launched a campaign in 2016 that was aimed at recognizing and awarding “Women in the Restoration Business”. The campaign is still going strong with its 3rd annual completion in 2018. These women enter a male-dominated industry through their husbands or hard work and then fall in love. Colleagues and fellow industry peers are the ones who nominate these women for the award and every year and above 40 women are appreciated for the hard work they put in.

Stereotypes Don’t Matter

The key to surviving in a male-dominated society is to not get caught up in the stereotypes. Yes, men are considered physically stronger, but they lack in various other areas where women excel. Don’t give into skeptical looks and throw down the towel. Many people don’t see women as the gender tackling mold remediation or water damage, and they might be taken by surprise when you show up at their door to do a home remodeling task. However by earning their respect with your performance, you will be able to become a strong leader.

Don’t Shy Away from Seeking Help

Every person, at one point or another in their life, needs help. Being real and accepting help when required is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it shows your logical thinking and makes people believe that you are not overconfident when it comes to your job.

Invest in Employees

Women know how to multi-task. When needed, they think objectively and, as the situation calls for, they can be subjective too. This trait allows them to run a business, as well as think about the welfare of their employees. Think of this way: for employee retention, the more you invest on them, the more success you will achieve in your business.

From time to time, Violand holds programs that instruct women on how to tell their stories and bring them to life. An advisory panel educates them on the restoration business and guides them how to focus, lead, and execute. To know more about how to register for their next program, visit Violand.

Importance of Having Regular Gutter & Air Duct Cleaning

Our home is where we recharge ourselves and prepare for another day. We often try to décor up the place and make it as comfortable as possible. However, there are some integral components of our home that we tend to miss out on. It’s not the paint, furniture or other superficial components. The gutters and air ducts are often the most over looked parts of our house. Perhaps it’s because their function is underestimated. Here are a few pointers to remind you why regular air duct and gutter cleaning is important.

Regular gutter cleaning

Moisture is a common enemy when it comes to the building’s structural support. Having blocked gutters can potentially cost you a lot in repairment and fixes especially in the rainy season. Overflowing water from the room moves into the gutters, but when it’s blocked, it has nowhere to go but seep down into the building’s base through the smallest cracks.

Water might go away, but it’s where it escapes to that’s important and where the problem starts. Over time, this collective water absorption can damage your building’s foundation. The idiom “out of sight, out of mind” unfortunately prevails amongst the common public when it comes to escaping water and gutter system health. Additionally, the accumulation of excess water due to clogged gutters is often the primary reason for damp basement conditions.

People neglecting their gutters leave their house more susceptible to pest invasion too. Damp rotting wood is ideal for all kinds of pests such as wood termite, rats and even mosquitoes. A bi-annual servicing and inspection of your gutters keeps you safe from hefty costs, saving you money in the long term.

Regular air duct cleaning

Air ducts have their own benefits, mostly unknown to the common people. Air conditioning systems regulate the indoor air quality of your home. This means any persisting fungal spores and bacteria, won’t loiter around in your living vicinity in the presence of a well maintained air conditioning system.

It is a common misconception that high efficiency windows and doors can serve as a good substitute for air ventilation. They may reduce your power bill by reducing the amount of internal and external air transfer, but they do not provide adequate ventilation. There might be pollutants, potentially pathogenic in nature, present inside your home and a properly functioning air conditioning system can solely ventilate these hazards out of your home.

Regular air duct cleaning is therefore, directly correlated with indoor air quality. Furthermore, warm air ducts can also harbor thermophilic bacteria. A thorough air duct cleaning including a disinfection process fogged through the system eliminates such dangers and removes any remaining mold, bacteria and dust mites.